10 Beautiful Unbreakable Plates
Durable doesn't have to mean unfashionable
Outdoor entertaining is about ease: menus that revolve around what you feel like grilling, drinks that can be scaled up into big batches and wearing whatever's comfortable for lounging around outside. Though simple white dishware works well, unbreakable melamine plates give you one less thing to worry about while also keeping paper out of the waste stream.
This year, the design world has finally expanded beyond those cheap plastic plates usually found in the seasonal aisle. Here are some options that look upscale and can stand up to the summer buffet—and the dishwasher—without losing their cool. Even better? All are BPA free.
Brie Dyas is a contributing writer for Tasting Table and an avid collector of your grandmother's fine china. You can find her occasionally sharing photos on Instagram at @briedyas.
Stoneridge Melamine Dinner Plates
Made to resemble hand-thrown pottery, these scratch-proof melamine plates are thick and durable.
williams-sonoma.com, $36 for a set of four
Tropical Foliage Melamine Plates
Tropical leaves decorate these shatterproof plates, made from a blend of bamboo fibers and melamine.
shopterrain.com, $12 each
Magritte Apple Plate 1959
With a reproduction of Magritte's Ceci n'est pas une pomme, this vivid plate will offer a witty, surrealist touch to the dessert course.
moma.org, $6
Ranya Damask Melamine Dinner Plates
This budget-friendly set features an overscaled damask motif in four bright colors.
target.com, $15 for a set of four
Seabreeze Dinner Plate, Plate Shoppe
, $13
Brooklyn designer Gail Sarasohn goes bold with bright colors on these stylish plates.
plateshoppe.com, $13
Rectangular Melamine Plate with Tropical Print
For big portions, look to this Denmark brand, which offers an oversize dish that's smack in between dinner plate and platter.
ricebyrice.com, $13
Lulie Wallace Melamine Dinner Plates
Featuring bold patterns by Charleston's Lulie Wallace, these plates are art for the tabletop.
anthropologie.com, $10 each
11" Aegean Melamine Plates
These dinner plates have an organic shape and mottled sheer glaze that mimics the look of handmade ceramics.
worldmarket.com, $21 for a set of six
Regatta Blue Melamine Dinner Plates
Pacific Outdoor Living Dinner Plates
Four modern blue-and-white patterns add an unexpected touch to dinners and desserts.
royaldoulton.com, $30 for a set of four